A freak own goal by keeper Glenn Morris and a second conceded to the final kick of the game condemned Gillingham to a long trip home from Cumbria as Barrow edged a tight game.
The home side went ahead early on in bizarre fashion when Max Ehmer’s goal line clearance hit Morris and was deemed to have crossed the line.
Conor Masterson thought he’d grabbed the Gills, and the three hundred plus travellers a point with a great header from Alex MacDonald’s corner but with almost the last kick of stoppage time, Robbie Gotts hammered a rebound into the top corner to win the points for the home side.
The home sides opener on nine minutes in the end seemed to sum up the afternoon for the Gills. Patrick Brough’s shot was well saved by Morris, Josh Gordon’s follow up was cleared off the line by Ehmer only for the ball to hit Morris and go over the line.
The Gills just couldn’t get going and Josh Kay would have made it two just before the half hour but for another brilliant Morris save which this time the Gills managed to clear!
A really disappointing first period for the visitors nearly ended with more dire defending. Morris completely missed a punch and was relieved to see Ehmer hammer the ball to safety.
The Gills made a double change at the break introducing David Tutonda and Oli Hawkins on for Cheye Alexander and Tristan Abrahams, and the visitors were almost gifted a leveller. A MacDonald corner caused chaos in the Barrow box and just as it seemed the ball was going to crawl over the line, a defender blasted it to safety.
The second half was tighter than the first but the home side had the better of the chances with Morris doing really well to keep out a Gordon effort. The Gills dug in and nine minutes from time, they finally found a way through when Masterson met MacDonald’s corner magnificently to give keeper Paul Farman not a hope!
Sadly, it was to prove not enough as they struggled to clear a 94th minute corner and Gotts’ hammered home the rebound, ironically the same minute that seven days earlier, the Gills had beaten Barrow’s Cumbria rivals Carlisle at Priestfield, so much for “karma” huh?
The result keeps Barrow in touch with the Play Off places whilst Neil Harris’ side will be anxiously looking over their shoulders once more following wins for the bottom two, Hartlepool and Rochdale, as they return home to start their Easter campaign on Good Friday as Doncaster Rovers come to Fortress Priestfield.
BARROW – Farman, Warren, McCelland (Feely), Canavan, Ray, Brough, White, Neal (Whitfield), Foley (Young), Kay (Gotts), Gordon
Subs – Lillis, Newby
GILLINGHAM – Morris, Alexander (Tutonda), Ehmer, Masterson, McKenzie (Wright), Williams, MacDonald, Dieng (Lapslie), O’Brien, Abrahams (Hawkins), Nichols (Coleman)
Sub – Turner
REFEREE – Mr Handley
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC